Saturday, September 27, 2014

Impossible Seas

The way people conceive of Guam's economic health is mired in colonial feelings of inferiority and the contradictions that naturally emerge. As a small island in the middle of the ocean, Guam is naturally thought to have nothing according to the base epistemology of Europeans. Such a way of seeing the world and mapping its sense of value and naturalness is tied to the land. The land is safe, the land is secure, the land is what offers the chance to build, to horde, to make something. The ocean is the opposite. The ocean is the frightening infinite, the terrorizing endlessness, it holds the possibilities for imagining and perceiving that which is beyond the immediate and apparent, but the cost of this is that it cannot be trusted. The ocean and those places defined by it surrounding and connecting them, are the exceptions not the norm. Even if the land has its own inconsistencies and problems (kao manmaleffa todu put i linao siha?), the ocean is seen as impossible in contrast to the stable, reliable, sina un gacha', foundation of the land.

It is tragic the way this extends to islands and how islands are seen as lost and isolated, regardless of where in the world they are located. An island may be close by other islands, it may be close to large land masses, it may be in a place that is ideal for a variety of things, whether it be strategic or economic. But all of these things are considered to be valuable to those outside of the ocean. Those who come from elsewhere have the ability to take advantage of these things. The islands and the islanders themselves rarely see any of this ability. They exist to be taken advantage of by others, to have their resources used or their islands turned into refueling or coaling stations. The ocean robs them of all possible value that could be inherent, intrinsic or self-sustaining, all those things come from elsewhere.

So much of this is colonial common sense. It isn't true. It doesn't reflect reality. It is dangerous to adhere to and it serves the interests of outsiders if you do accept it. But it is for this reason (and a few other ti para bai hu pacha guini) that even mere conversations about the economy in Guam can be so frustrating. It is inundated with ideas that one must look outside in order to survive and in order to prosper. It is a conversation skewed towards giving oneself up in order to bring someone or something into the island to save you. Notions of prioritizing things such as food security or economic sustainability rarely come up, and even if they are mentioned are easily drowned out by demands for more and more and more. Rarely is the question really asked and never is it ever answered, as to whether more, more, more is ever actually better better better for islanders and their islands.

One of the most fascinating things that I see about the contradictions in Guam's economy, is how two things which are contradictory and eventually could cancel each other out, are nonetheless both argued for in very passionate and aggressive ways. Guam's economy today is dependent upon both the US military presence and tourism from different Asian markets. At present both of these things align in a way that Guam does benefit. But in our daily discourse we see political and economic leaders pushing hard for an expansion of both of these things. We see leaders lobbying for more military on the island. We also see them lobbying for more Asian tourists, especially from Russia and China. In this editorial from the PDN below, we can see them advocating clearly for the ability to attract and accept more tourists from China and cite a US national strategy (with regards to tourism). The PDN routinely publishes editorials about the military buildup and military spending, which cite a different US national strategy, which indicates that China is a threat and an enemy.

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Deliver: China visa waiver for Guam is in line with US tourism strategy.
July 5, 2014
The Pacific Daily News

The United States needs to live up to the goals of its National
Travel and Tourism Strategy by approving a visa waiver for Chinese
visitors to Guam.

In 2012, the Task Force on Travel and
Competitiveness stated: "Travel and tourism are critical to the American
economy. This growing industry offers significant potential for job
creation across all regions of the country."

To make that a
reality, it came up with a strategy that federal agencies should take
specific actions, including: reducing institutional barriers to the free
flow of trade in travel services; and expanding the visa waiver
program, among other initiatives.

Now is the time for the federal
government to follow-through on this strategy by giving visa waivers to
tourists from mainland China who want to travel to Guam. Doing so will
greatly benefit the local economy and serve to introduce more Chinese to
the United States. It also will open up other areas of Micronesia to
China travel and benefit their economies.

According to Forbes,
China had about 102 million outbound travelers from April 2013 to March
2014. Capturing even a small fraction of that would mean a huge boost to
our visitor industry. And because tourism is the economic engine that
drives the economy, that would translate into big benefits for the
entire community.

The island's elected officials -- senators, the
governor and the delegate -- need to work in concert to continually push
for the federal government to finally make the China visa waiver for
Guam a reality. They must press the matter with Congress, the White
House, Homeland Security and other federal entities, reminding federal
officials that the visa waiver falls in line with the National Travel
and Tourism Strategy.

Welcoming more Chinese visitors is a major
goal of the United States because of what it will mean for the economy,
as well as relations between the two countries. And what better place to
start making that happen than here in Guam, where America's day begins?

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Put Guahu / About Me

This blog is dedicated to Chamorro issues, the use and revitalization of the Chamoru language and the decolonization of Guam. This blog also aims to inform people around the world about the history, culture and language and struggles of the Chamorro people, who are the indigenous islanders of Guam, Saipan, Tinian, Luta and Pagan in the Mariana Islands. Pues Haggannaihon ha', ya taitai na'ya, ya Si Yu'us Ma'ase para i finatto-mu.

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The Revolution Will Not Be Haolified

THE REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE HAOLIFIEDTinige’ as Guahu - 2003 (updated 2008)

You will not be able to ignore it che’lu * This time you will not be able to blame it all on Anghet * You will not be able to change channels * And watch Fear Factor, Rev TV of Salamat Po Guam because * The Revolution will not be televised

The revolution will not be televised, nor will it be advertised * It will not be sponsored by the Good Guys at Moylan’s or the better guys at AK. * It will not be something easily explained by radio callers * Whether they be Positively Local, Definitively Settler, or Surprisingly Coconut * It will not be cornered by the Calvos and explained by Sabrina Salas * Matanane * After the story about the incoming B-52’s or 1000’s of Marines careening towards to Guam, and how we * should be economically energized and not terrorized. * Jon Anderson will have no TT anecdotes about it * and Chris Barnett won’t malafunkshun it because the revolution will not be televised

The revolution will not be televised or editorialized * It will not be something canabilized with two inches here two inches there * Dubious headlines everywhere * Lee Weber will not edit it * Joe Murphy will not put it in his pipe and smoke it * Nor dream about it, or tell others the wonders and blunders of it. * There will be no letters to the editor quoting scriptures or denying its constitutionality * And there will be no American flag inserts saying these three colors just don’t run * As the revolution will not be editorialized

The revolution will not be televised or politicized * It will not play the same old gayu games * And promise you that same old talonan things. * The revolution will not wave at you as you drive by on Marine Drive * And seduce you with its hardworking eyes. * It will not be territorial or popular, and not encourage you with maolek blue. * The revolution will not put marang salaman po after its speeches to get more Filipino votes in the next election because the revolution will not be politicized

The revolution will not be televised, not be theorized * It will not be something GCC or UOG friendly. * There will be no books at Bestseller offering to help you lose something in 90 days * Or Rachel Ray helping you cook the revolution of your way. * Ron McNinch will not survey it * and will not poll people about their revolution of choice. * There will be no WASC review report demanding accountability demanding autonomy * And no beachcombing carpetbaggers will proclaim their own terminal authority * Over the histories, the laws, the thinking of those for whom they see nothing but corrupt and corrupting inferiority * The revolution will not be colonized

The revolution will not be televised, not be supersized. * The revolution will not be something you can buy at Ross, or get at blue light cost * It is not just red rice, kelaguan uhang, or popcorn with Tobacco sauce. * It doesn’t come with Coke and it doesn’t fit on a fiesta plate. * The revolution will not make you gof sinexy, cure your jafjaf, or make fragrant your fa’fa’ * The revolution will not force you to be where America’s empire begins * Or where Japan’s golf courses and Gerry Yingling’s credit card debt ends. * You won’t need a credit card, or be charged for the tin foil to cover your balutan * As the revolution will not be economized

The revolution will not be televised, blownback or militarized * There will be no more physical ordnance buried in people’s lands * And no more patrionizing propaganda buried in people’s minds * The revolution will not get you cheaper cases of chicken or increased commissary privileges. * It will not make freedomless flags feel more comfortable in your hands * Or make uniforms fit more snugly around your mind. * The revolution will not deny racism or exploitation * And not create histories about landfalls of destiny * But instead publicize the racism and evils of American hegemony. * The revolution will not be subsidized by construction contracts or the race of Senator Inouye or Congressman Burton * It will not be laid waste to by daisy cut budgets or Medicare spending limits * Instead it will be sustained by deep memories that refuse to die * The revolution will not be televised.

The revolution will not be televised and will not polarize based on blood or color * It will not make your skin lighter * It will not make your skin darker * It will not test your blood the way Hitler or Uncle Sam would of done * It will not hate some and love others based on their time of naturalization * Or incept date of their compacts of free association. * But the revolution will help some find comfort, find strength, find power * In their connections to the land and to each other * Allow some to discover the sovereignty that can be found in solidarity * The revolution will take and remake this consciousness that doesn’t need to be televised * But does need to be revolutionized * The revolution will not be haolified * The revolution will not be haolified